Experiments on mice showed that it is this receptor that ensures the transport of the virus from the mucous membranes
Scientists previously knew that the new typeThe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its relative SARS-CoV enter the body's cells through the ACE2 receptor. However, the second one did not have such a serious distribution at one time.
Studying the mechanisms of virus spreadstarted with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequence. An unusual cleavage site was discovered there, something that has never been seen in any coronavirus before. Scientists believe that this feature helps SARS-CoV-2 create additional receptor binding sites on the surface of cells.
That SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2 receptor toinfecting our cells has been known, but viruses often use multiple factors to maximize their infectious potential. When the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 became available in late January, we were surprised. Compared to its predecessor, the new coronavirus has gained another piece on its surface proteins that is also found in the spikes of many deadly human viruses, including Ebola, HIV and highly pathogenic strains of bird flu.
Giuseppe Balistreri, author of the study and head of the Viral Cell Biology Research Group at the University of Helsinki
It is not yet clear whether such an explanation is true for SARS-CoV-2, scientists say. Probably, in most patients, the immune system does manage and suppress this pathway.
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